McCRORY GLORY IN SMITH CUP +

Welcome to County Armagh Golf Club

On Friday 2nd November Mrs Gail Steed Lady Captain in 2017 hosted a four-course dinner in the clubhouse for 26 Past Lady Captain’s of Co Armagh Golf Club. Also, in attendance was the current Lady Captain Mrs Elizabeth Mawhinney.

Although this is an annual event all those attending were mindful that this is the 125th anniversary of the founding of the club and were reminded by Gail that since the founding of the club in 1893 there have been 88 Lady Captains.

Mrs Gertrude Maxwell who was the longest serving Lady Captain (1971) in attendance took centre stage in the group photograph to mark the auspicious occasion.

The Past Lady Captain’s golf competition was a highly contested affair with Mrs Audrey Kellet emerging as the winner of the 18 holes, Mrs June Humphries taking the 9-hole honours and Mrs Flo McCall winning the putting competition.

The Charlemont Cup has long been the jewel in County Armagh Golf Club’s intra-club matchplay crown — it’s “the one they’re all after”. And in 2018, the historic doubles event witnessed glory for the deadly duo of Darren Wilson and Dean Chambers.

The formidable Chambers/Wilson axis began their ultimately triumphant Charlemont journey with a first round dispatch of seasoned campaigners PJ Collins and John White, before victory over Mickey Cullen and Tom Fox enhanced their matchplay momentum.

Charlemont Cup Champions 2018, Dean Chambers and Darren Wilson, are presented with the trophy by Helen Forster, manager at the Charlemont Arms Hotel Armagh, sponsors of the annual pairs matchplay tournament. Also pictured is County Armagh Golf Club Captain, Colm Shannon.

Benign weather, excellent course conditions and the enthusiasm of County Armagh Golf Club's Ladies, all combined to allow extension of the playing season, and associated social activities, beyond the scheduled closure on the 4th October.

Following the completion of the 14 and 9 hole competitions on the 11th October, members Bernie and Gemma Rice gave a masterclass on Autumn flower arranging. Those present were greatly impressed by the skills on display, not to mention the entertaining delivery, and were further impressed when the arrays were distributed after a free raffle.

On Thursday, 18th, again following the 14 and 9 hole prizegivings, Lorna Berry gave an interesting talk on skin care and make up using Tropic products. Although none of County Armagh's Ladies required skin care advice or attention, all attendees enjoyed the presentation greatly.

Mrs Ita Devenney with some of her Halloween recipes.

Thursday 25th saw popular member, Mrs Ita Devenney, give a cookery demonstration of Celtic Halloween recipes which she shared with a very appreciative audience who attended the prizegiving for the day's competitions.

County Armagh Golf Club's Golfer of the Year crown has been conferred on Calum Connell as fitting recognition of his triumphant season on the Cathedral City fairways.

The young player made remarkable progress this campaign, as evidenced by a massive 13-to-6 handicap reduction since April and the plethora of prizes he amassed in that time.

Connell's glory year began in earnest way back on 31 March with a 43-point outing that sealed a category win in the annual Easter Stableford.

County Armagh Golf Club's Golfer of the Year 2018, Calum Connell, is presented with the perpetual cup by Club Captain, Colm Shannon.

The next three months would see the St Colman's College student collect no fewer than five category accolades, namely in a Club Stroke on 22 April, a Club Stableford on 13 May, the May Medal six days later, a Club Stableford on 27 May, and another Club Stroke on 24 June.

Mere days before departing on a two-month tour down under, Art McCrory ensured that his Aussie odyssey started on a happy note by triumphing in the Smith Cup final at County Armagh Golf Club.

Having received a first round bye, Art's ultimately successful campaign in the matchplay competition for the 0-12 cohort got under way with a victory over Stephen Catterall. Then followed a defeat of Patsy Hegarty that sent McCrory to the semi-finals, where the 12-handicapper dispensed with regular playing partner Brian McGuigan.

And that set up a final showdown against Rónan O'Reilly in which Art eventually prevailed by 2&1 to deservedly get his hands on the coveted Smith Cup silverware, which was no doubt subsequently paraded around the Antipodes.

Art McCrory, winner of County Armagh Golf Club's Smith Cup, was presented with the trophy by Club Captain, Colm Shannon. Also pictured is beaten finalist, Rónan O'Reilly.

You will work under the direction of the Head Greenkeeper, deputise in his absence and be responsible to ensure the course and facilities are maintained to a first class playing condition. You must be a good team worker, have hands-on experience, preferably in golf course maintenance and be highly motivated. The successful candidate will be committed to their chosen career, dedicated, possess a flexible approach to work, have good communication skills and a keen eye for detail.

Candidates should be forward thinking, enthusiastic and have:

• A minimum of 3 years Parkland Course Management experience, particularly in a golf club setting;

• Minimum requirement of level 2 Greenkeeping;

• A knowledge of Health and Safety regulations;

• Experience of using greens, fairway and rough mowers, as well as other machinery used in the maintenance of a golf course;

• A flexible approach to working patterns;

• PA1/ PA6 Pesticide Certificates (PA2 desirable);

• An ability to work without supervision, within a small team and at weekends; and

• A full driving license required

This is an excellent opportunity for the successful candidate to further develop their green keeping career with a competitive salary and golfing privileges.

Nomination Forms for the positions of Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer are now available in the Club Office and behind the Bar.

Completed Nomination Forms for the above Honorary positions must be returned to the Club Office or placed behind the Bar no later than Monday, 19 November 2018 at 2.00 pm .

Nomination Forms for the positions of Council Members are now available in the Club Office and behind the Bar.

Completed Nomination Forms for the above Council positions must be returned to the Club Office or placed behind the Bar no later than Friday, 30 November 2018 at 2.00 pm .

NB: The Proposer and Seconder must be Members with voting rights (Honorary, Ordinary, Senior Members, 25-30 Adult Male and 18-24 Adult Male), and you must ensure that you have the Nominee's permission.

Open to all those with a handicap of more than 12, the Gray Cup matchplay singles is always an entertaining and keenly contested item on County Armagh Golf Club's annual playing schedule.

Its draw tends to throw up some intriguing individual clashes too and, this year, Philip Dowey safely negotiated five such encounters to emerge victorious.

Dowey's matchplay expertise came to the fore in his role as an integral member of the club's All-Ireland Four-Ball Trophy team's run to the provincial final of the tournament in 2018, and that experience no doubt also aided his domestic exploits.

Philip Dowey, winner of County Armagh Golf Club's Gray Cup, received the trophy from Club Captain, Colm Shannon. Also pictured is runner-up, Eamon McCaffrey.

With playing conditions having remained largely fair as the calendar ticked over into October, the qualifying campaign at County Armagh Golf Club was sensibly extended for an extra couple of weekends. And this meant that Joe Rhodie, Sam Jenkins and Lee Stewart all found time to score a late-season success.

In a Club Stableford on 6 October, Rhodie recorded back-to-back birdies at the 7th and 8th as well as two instances of three consecutive pars. The resultant 44-point haul was superb and slashed Joe's handicap from 18 to 15, as well as earning him a comfortable four-shot victory margin.

Next in the Saturday standings was overall runner-up, John Lowe, whose four double bogeys were entirely out-of-keeping with the manner in which he negotiated the other 14 holes, namely through 11 pars, a birdie and two bogeys.

Lowe's terrific 40-point total was matched by Johnny Brown, who lost out on a break of tie in the overall reckoning but found consolation in the shape of category 1 pre-eminence. Johnny's excellent gross 76 included a birdie up on Rokeby Green and an earlier spell of six pars in a row.

‘Tom and Gary' sounds like a low-budget imitation of a much-loved children's cartoon. Fitttingly then, Tom Donnelly and Gary McAleavey each played a game of cat and mouse with their rivals before securing September competition victories at County Armagh Golf Club.

On Saturday 29 September, Gary sealed the top honours with a peerless 40-point performance in which he birdied both the 2nd and the 7th before romping to the tape with five pars in the last five holes.

McAleavey's closest challenger was overall runner-up, Johnny Palmer, who had collected four points after the opening hole — when he pulled a birdie out of St Brigid's Well — and eventually signed for an excellent total of 39.

Summer is well and truly behind us but thankfully the relatively dry autumn has helped us to extend the season.

The course has been in great condition this year, which is thanks to careful planning and the hard work of the staff and Greens Convenor.

To keep the course playable through the winter and to ensure we prepare well for next season Council has agreed an autumn and winter maintenance and improvement programme. In addition to the normal greens and fairway maintenance programme, work will be carried out on bunkers, paths, drains, woodland areas and sanding of the fairways.

On Thursday 4 th October a large number of ladies played the last weekly competition of 2018 in the form of a 15 and 9-hole stableford in which Gladys Villiers emerged as the winner with a very good score of 32 points.

Lady Captain Elizabeth Mawhinney with winner of end of season competition Gladys Villiers and other prize winners.

Before presenting the prizes, Lady Captain Elizabeth wished everyone well in the winter league and reminded them of the AGM on Thursday 29th November. Elizabeth had visited former Lady Captain Sadie Scott to mark her 90 th birthday and leave gifts on behalf of the Ladies Branch.

County Armagh Golf Club's 2017 Golfer of the Year is in rude health once again as we near the conclusion of the current campaign. Shea Smyth's two-under-par round on 23 September meant he collected first prize in a Sunday Stableford competition.

Shea dispensed with the 6th and 7th holes using just four strokes, as he followed up a spectacular eagle two on Crossways by mining a birdie from the Quarry. Another birdie out at the 12th and 13 pars elsewhere brought Smyth to a majestic gross 68, and the accruing 40 points kept him one ahead of the day's overall runner-up, Mark Frazer.

In recording 39 points, six-handicapper Mark recaptured something like the form that saw him to Gaffney Open glory in August. His classy 74-shot outing, although finishing with a sad six, also featured the happier times of 13 pars and a superb birdie at the Lakes.

Back-to-back Saturday tournament victories at County Armagh Golf Club are a rare thing indeed, but that was exactly the feat completed by Michael Curley last month.

No doubt still feeling the glow from his stunning nett 62 and Henry White Open triumph on 15 September, another super show on 22 September saw Curley reach a terrific 41-point total and the summit of that day's Club Stableford leaderboard.

Michael was four over par through five holes of a torpid opening, but he sprung into life just then and played beautifully thereafter. The now single-figure handicapper eventually put his name to a gross 75 that was boosted by a pair of birdies on the double green that houses the 8th and 11th holes.

The 4th hole at County Armagh Golf Club, par 4, index 5, the Old Third.

Closest to matching the winning tally was Beechie Hughes, who racked up eight pars on his way to a wonderful 40 points that earned him the overall runner-up prize as well as a new handicap of 16.